This Time(34)

He rested his arms on the bed of the truck and gazed into her eyes, lined with thick dark lashes. "I never imagined I'd taken so much from you."

"Well, it's all history now." She hopped off the tailgate and started for the driver's side. "We'd better get home. Daddy will be looking for his evening snack."

Burke slammed the gate shut and slipped into the passenger seat. "Belle, despite where I've been and what I've done, the Lord has seen fit to bring me home. Like I told you at the hospital the night Duke got hurt, the best is yet to come."

She pushed in the clutch and started the engine. She shifted into first gear and slowly started the truck forward. "I'm sorry Burke, I didn't mean to stir up negative feelings about the past."

"No, it's okay," he said, tenderly. "I want you to be able to talk to me."

"Part of getting over pain and hurt doesn't always mean we have to talk about it. Sometimes it is wiser to keep our thoughts to ourselves. We forget how powerful words can be."

"How'd you get to be so wise?" he asked.

She rested her hands on the center of the steering wheel and stared out over the dash. "I don't know how wise I am, but I've spent a lot of time in prayer and reading the Word. That's the great thing that came out of you leaving me. I pursued the Lord with all I had."

"Now, I'm jealous."

"Funny," Belle started thoughtfully, "how we always see the greener grass on the other side of the fence." She pulled out of the pasture and onto the road.

"I think Duke would like a tall chocolate shake from Charlie's. How 'bout it?" Burke said, wanting to end their last evening together for a while on a happier note.

"Charlie's," she said. "That's a twenty-minute drive into town and back. It'll be an hour before we're home."

He reached for his cellular and autodialed the Bar J. "Duke, shakes from Charlie's. What do you say?"

Belle rolled her eyes at his coy Benning grin. "You're ornery, you know that?"

"Whatever," Burke whispered, listening to Duke's voice over the phone. He pushed a button to end the conversation. "To Charlie's."

"To Charlie's," Belle repeated with a shake of her head and a light laugh, the dogs baying from the back of the truck.





Chapter Sixteen





"Ladies and Gentlemen, would you please welcome all-star running back, Burke Benning."

Thunderous applause filled Studio 7 as Burke stepped through the stage curtain of the David Dubois Show. He paused and waved to the crowd, flashing a smile and bringing the audience to their feet with a roar.

David Dubois greeted him with a manly slap on the back. "Welcome back to civilization!" David sniffed the air. "What's that smell? Manure?"

Burke took an over-exaggerated sniff as he sat in the guest chair. "No, Dave, I think it's your hair gel."

A laugh rippled through the crowd.

For the next few minutes, they chatted and exchanged witty barbs, Burke holding his own with the talented host and comedian.

He taunted David, pitting the audience against him, ruffling the gregarious host. Burke loved the casual atmosphere of the late night talk shows, and his ten-year relationship with David made him feel at home on the set.

David cut to the first commercial break and leaned over to him while the show's band entertained the studio audience.

"After the break, let's talk about your retirement, then I have a surprise for you."

Burke grinned. "Oh, no, you don't. What surprise?"

The director called from the corner. "Back in five, four, three, two, one." He cued the host.

David welcomed the television audience back from the commercial and immediately prompted Burke to talk about his retirement.

He spoke seriously and confidently about his decision to leave the game he so loved. "I spent some time in prayer and realized I needed to make a change in my life." He paused to take a breath. He wanted to let the world know that Jesus Christ controlled the course of his life. But how did he say it without sounding preachy or fake? Finally, he simply said, "I knew the Lord was leading me in a new direction."

David gawked at him, tried to make a joke and bombed. He recovered with, "So, you're a religious man?"

Burke shook his head, reflecting for a split second on the many times he'd shared with David the truth of Jesus Christ. "I'm not a religious man, David. I'm merely committed to the Savior, Jesus, the Christ and the love He showed for me by paying the price for my sins."

The host coughed and sputtered, his complexion reddening. After a second he said, "The world of professional football will not be the same without you. We wish you all the best."

The audience cheered and applauded. "We'll be right back with a surprise for Burke Benning. Don't go away."

During the commercial break, David moved him to another part of the stage. Burke balked when he recognized the gag.

"Oh, no, you don't Dave. I'm not playing the Dating Game."

"We have a surprise guest for you."

"I don't want to know who."

"Don't worry, I'm not telling you. We're back in three."